HE spent years telling people to get off his grass but now Mick Moore does not need to worry.

And that’s because the former Oxford United groundsman, famed for his immaculate playing surfaces at the Manor Ground, has decided plastic is fantastic.

The father of Steven and grandfather-of-three has replaced all the turf at his Kidlington home with an artificial surface and that, he says, means he is now officially retired.

Mr Moore, 71, said: “I never thought I’d say this, but it’s the future. It just makes so much sense.”

After 17 years as head groundsman at Morris Motors, Mr Moore, who lives in Cromwell Way, Oxford, made an immediate impression after starting at Oxford United in April 1985, where his pitches were the envy of the Football League.

He turned down offers to join both Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion to remain with the U’s and picked up the groundsman of the year award in 1998/99 when Oxford were in the second tier of English Football – now the Championship.

He remained with the club for the rest of their time at the Manor, and spent a year at the Kassam Stadium before taking up a position at St John’s College, Oxford, in 2002. He said: “We won promotion in my first match after I went to Oxford United. Three games later, we had won the title.”

But now his life as a groundsman is definitely over. “I cut the grass for the final time last weekend,” he said.

“I have got a place in Tenerife where myself and my wife, Sandra, go for chunks of the year and so it just makes sense to do this now.

“The grass gets too long while we are away.”

With United starting work this week on replacing their pitch at the Kassam Stadium, and Oxford City planning to change their grass surface with an artificial playing area, there has been much talk over what is the best way forward for football clubs.

But Mr Moore does not believe there needs to be a debate.

He said: “I have been very, very impressed with the 3G surface on Oxford City’s training pitches.

“I can’t see why all lower-league football isn’t played on this sort of surface in the future.”

The main beneficiary of Mr Moore’s decision to revert to plastic is his youngster grandson.

“I have given my mower and all the equipment to my grandson, Harvie, who seems to be quite keen to follow in my footsteps,” he said.

“I’ve now officially retired.”

The former groundsman of the year has definitely been put out to grass.